Search the Dictionary

action; motive; incentive; impulse. Burke. From the long records of a distant age, Derive incitements to renew thy rage. Pope.

Instigation; incitement. [Obs.] Chaucer.

The act of encouraging; incitement to action or to practice; as, the encouragement of youth in generosity. All generous encouragement of arts. Otway.

The act of practice of exhorting; the act of inciting to laudable deeds; incitement to that which is good or commendable.

To feed with flesh, as an incitement to further exertion; to initiate; -- from the practice of training hawks and dogs by feeding them with the first game they take, or other flesh. Hence, to use upon flesh (as a murderous weapon) so as to draw blood, especially for the first time. Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy ma…

tion; sudden motive; momentary or transient influence of appetite or passion; propension; incitement; as, a man of good impulses; passion often gives a violent impulse to the will. These were my natural impulses for the undertaking. Dryden.

That which incites to action; that which rouses or prompts; incitement; motive; incentive. The noblest incitation to honest attempts. Tatler.

The act of instigating, or the state of being instigated; incitement; esp. to evil or wickedness. The baseness and villainy that . . . the instigation of the devil could bring the sons of men to. South.

Instinct; incitement; inspiration. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

That which persuades; an inducement; an incitement; an exhortation. -- Per*sua"sive*ly, adv. -- Per*sua"sive*ness, n.

Suggestion; incitement; prompting. [R.] Shak. Coleridge.

Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth.

That which goads to action; an incitement. Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise (That last infirmity of noble mind) To scorn delights and live laborious days. Milton.

control over the organs of speech. In the midst of caresses, and without the last pretend incitement, to sputter out the basest accusations. Swift.

A goad; incitement. Shak.

mation; an insinuation; a hint; a different proposal or mention; also, formerly, a secret incitement; temptation. Why do I yield to that suggestion Shak.

rtaining to war; especially, among the American Indians, a song at the war dance, full of incitements to military ardor. -- War whoop, a war cry, especially that uttered by the American Indians.